Survey: Over half of teachers stressed out; alarming increase over past 2 years

Oct 31, 2017, The74Million.org: 61% of Teachers Stressed Out, 58% Say Mental Health Is Not Good in New National Survey https://www.the74million.org/61-of-teachers-stressed-out-58-say-mental-health-is-not-good-in-new-national-survey/ A majority of American teachers feel stressed at work, according to a new survey from the American Federation of Teachers — and the number citing poor mental health has jumped alarmingly over the past two years. Experts say resultant costs in human resources and health care spending could amount to billions of dollars. The figures come from the union’s 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey, a poll administered to almost 5,000 teachers and school staff across the country. Results suggest a sizable increase in the number of stressed educators since the poll was last conducted in 2015. In particular, 58 percent of respondents described their mental health as “not good” for at least seven of the previous 30 days. Just two years ago, that number was 34 percent. Sixty-one percent of the teachers said their work was always or often stressful. Over half agreed that they didn’t feel the same enthusiasm as when they started teaching. They reported experiencing poor health and being bullied at work — by superiors, colleagues, students, or parents — at rates far higher than are reported for other professions. And the vast majority said they are sleep-deprived. … School discipline has emerged as a particular flashpoint over the past few years as districts have moved to lower student suspension rates by implementing peer mediation and restorative justice. ...